MOSCOW, March 21. /ITAR-TASS/. Ukraine’s membership in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) formally remains in effect, Russian State Secretary and Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin said in Federation Council on Friday.

“Ukraine’s membership in the CIS formally remains in effect. The CIS Executive Committee proposed to convene a meeting at the level of deputy foreign ministers in Minsk. Alas, Ukraine refused to participate in the meeting, let’s wait and see how the situation will develop,” the Russian diplomat said.